System for axial bristle motion in a teeth cleaning mouthpiece

Abstract

The mouthpiece includes a mouthpiece carrier member ( 14 ) having upper and lower sections which are adapted to receive the upper and lower teeth of a user. The mouthpiece carrier member has several embodiments which include side members and an intermediate member or members connecting the two side members to define the two sections. A bristle field ( 20 ) is mounted on the mouthpiece carrier member for contact with the surfaces of the teeth. The mouthpiece carrier member is moved in such a manner to produce a bristle action which has a significant axial component, resulting in the bristle tufts moving toward the teeth, contacting the teeth and moving away from the teeth, producing cleaning action on the teeth.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A mouthpiece for cleaning teeth, comprising:
 a mouthpiece carrier member ( 14 ) having upper and lower sections adapted to receive the upper and lower teeth of a user; 
 a bristle tuft assembly ( 20 ) mounted on the mouthpiece carrier member; and 
 a system ( 12 ) for moving the mouthpiece carrier sections to produce a bristle motion which has a significant axial component, resulting in bristles in the bristle assembly moving toward the teeth, contacting the teeth and moving away from the teeth for cleaning thereof, wherein the system for moving includes a rotary motor having a rotating drive shaft which is connected to an inner portion ( 26 ) of the mouthpiece carrier member and an eccentric ( 30 ) mounted on the drive shaft which is connected to an outer portion ( 28 ) of the mouthpiece carrier member, wherein action of the motor and the rotating drive shaft produces axial bristle motion as well as a sweeping bristle motion across the teeth. 
 
     
     
       2. The mouthpiece of  claim 1 , wherein the moving system is a rotary motor ( 113 ) having two drive shafts ( 114 ,  115 ), each of which has an eccentric ( 116 ,  118 ) mounted thereon, including connections ( 122 ,  124 ,  130 ,  132 ) between each eccentric and the mouthpiece carrier member, the moving system including a connection ( 134 ) which extends between a housing for the motor and a point ( 140 ,  142 ) which connects the upper and carrier sections of the mouthpiece carrier member, wherein action of the motor results in axial motion of the upper and lower sections of the mouthpiece carrier member to produce cleaning action on the teeth. 
     
     
       3. A mouthpiece for cleaning teeth, comprising:
 a mouthpiece carrier member having upper and lower sections adapted to receive the upper and lower teeth of the user; 
 a bristle tuft assembly ( 20 ) mounted on the mouthpiece carrier member; and 
 a system for moving the mouthpiece carrier sections to produce a bristle motion which has a significant axial component, resulting in the bristle tuft assembly moving toward the teeth, contacting the teeth and moving away from the teeth for cleaning thereof, including a pair of elongated, flexible members ( 36 ) having a plurality of spaced cam members ( 38 ) positioned therealong and a flexible, linearly stationary membrane ( 40 ), with bristle tufts attached thereto, positioned between the flexible members and the teeth, wherein linear movement of the flexible members longitudinally along the teeth results in axial movement of the membrane and the bristle tufts moving into contact with and then away from the teeth.